Midwest
'Election interference' claims muddy battleground state politics amid competitive races
FIRST ON FOX: Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers is firing back at Democrats after they accused him and other Republicans of committing fraud to obtain ballot access.
In a letter to the Michigan Board of State Canvassers, a lawyer for Rogers slammed the state Democratic Party and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) over what he said were “reckless and unsubstantiated claims.”
Earlier this month, the Democratic Party entities urged the board to investigate potential fraud in the nominating petitions of several Republican Senate primary candidates, including Rogers, who once represented Michigan in the U.S. House. The groups called for “an immediate investigation of the petition sheets submitted by candidates Rogers, [Justin] Amash, [Sandy] Pensler, and [Peter] Meijer, and to invalidate all petition signatures appearing on petition sheets signed by circulators who are found to have engaged in fraud.”
SPEAKER JOHNSON PLANS TO INVITE ISRAEL’S NETANYAHU TO MEET WITH CONGRESS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER
Republican Senate primary candidate Mike Rogers is accusing Democrats of “election interference.” (Getty Images)
In calling for the investigations, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said in a statement at the time, “The new indications of apparent fraud are deeply concerning and demand immediate action.”
“Given that Michigan voters have now submitted declarations stating they did not sign the petitions, the Bureau of Elections and Board of Canvassers must uphold their responsibility to protect the integrity of Michigan’s elections and conduct a full, thorough investigation. The Board of State Canvassers must conclusively determine that the Republican Senate candidates have each submitted 15,000 valid signatures before taking any vote to certify them to appear on the ballot,” she continued.
However, the Democrats’ request was notably made after the deadline for challenges had already passed, as was confirmed by a Michigan Department of State spokesperson. The board will meet on Friday to “consider challenges to nominating petition signatures and other business.”
ANTISEMITISM AT YALE, UNIV. OF MICHIGAN TO FACE CONGRESSIONAL SCRUTINY
Democratic groups requested investigations into the nominating petitions of Republican Senate candidates. (Leigh Vogel/WireImage)
A spokesperson for Rogers claimed in a statement to Fox News Digital that the party entities were engaging in “election interference.”
Rogers’ lawyer, Eric E. Doster, urged the board not to accept the petition deniers’ invitation to “engage in voter disenfranchisement,” he wrote in the letter.
GOP SEN CALLS FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO TRUMP TRIAL JUDGE OVER GAG ORDERS
Rogers is considered the frontrunner in a crowded Michigan Republican Senate primary. (Sam Wolfe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Michigan Board of State Canvassers did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication.
“This blatant attempt at election interference is just the latest example of the disdain Democrats hold for Michigan voters and democracy at large,” said Rogers spokesperson Chris Gustafson.
The Republican candidate has been endorsed by former President Trump in his primary race, and the campaign has come to his defense in public settings.
According to a statement from Trump campaign Michigan spokesperson Victoria LaCivita, “Michigan Democrats have a long track record of election interference and creating systems open to fraud.”
BIDEN ADMIN QUESTIONED OVER ABORTION PILL PUSH WITHOUT PROPER ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY
Mike Rogers was endorsed by former President Trump in his primary race. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
“This latest scheme is based on fear of losing to President Trump and his Michigan GOP ticket in November. Using radical liberal lawyer Marc Elias underscores the truth: this is just a sad PR stunt to distract Michigan voters from the real issues at stake this November. Michiganders care about being able to afford gas and groceries and feeling safe in their homes and will see through this smokescreen,” she added.
The legal ballot feud comes as Michigan is again poised to be a big battleground state in the upcoming November election. In an April Fox News poll, Trump was up by three points over President Biden in the state, or 49% to 46% among registered voters.
Further, with the exit of top incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the race for the next Michigan senator is considered competitive, rated as “Lean Democratic” by nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report. The Republican and Democratic Senate primaries will be held on Aug. 6.
Read the full article from Here
Getty
NDSU gets a reality check on draft and transfer portal.
North Dakota State’s draft success continued this year, and there could be more to come in 2027.
While NDSU boasts 16 draft picks since 2004 as a Division I program, the Bison faced sobering news regarding the final draft numbers this year amid a move up to the FBS. Only 13 Group of Six players had their names called compared to 239 players from the Power Four conferences, which college football analyst Chris Hummer broke down.
NDSU had two picks this year, the most of any Mountain West Conference team. The FCS, where the Bison just left, only had four overall — counting quarterback Cole Payton and wide receiver Bryce Lance from NDSU.
“It’s yet another example of the talent drain for the G6 and FCS due to the transfer portal,” Hummer wrote via X.
NDSU moving to the FBS may not slow down losing players in the transfer portal. Just ask around the Mountain West, where 138 players have departed since late 2025.
That most notably included former UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who transferred to Nebraska. NDSU lost six starters, and the majority went to Power Four schools.
Former Bison players lost include Colorado defensive end Toby Anene, Vanderbilt left tackle Beau Johnson, Florida State long snapper Caleb Bowers, Michigan State center Trent Farley and Iowa kicker Eli Ozick. Bigger competition and NIL money continue to be the draw for Power Four teams, and NDSU may not become an exception among G6 teams losing players.
How the Top G6 Teams Fared With The Transfer Portal
Former Bison FCS rival and College Football Playoff participant James Madison, one of the top G6 teams around, lost more than 11 starters this year.
Many of the JMU Players, except for Colorado edge Immanuel Ezeogu, transferred to UCLA, following former Dukes head coach Bob Chesney to Los Angeles. That’s not the first time JMU has experienced an exodus of players with a head coach. It happened with Curt Cignetti when he left JMU for Indiana, and he built a national championship team that had numerous former Dukes standouts.
Tulane, also a G6 CFP participant, lost 26 players. That included major key players such as Indiana wide receiver Shazz Preston, Tennessee running back Javin Gordon and Louisville tight end Justyn Reid.
Boise State, last year’s Mountain West champion and a 2024 CFP entrant, lost numerous key players from the 2025 team. That includes LSU safety Ty Benefield and Arkansas wide receiver Chris Marshall.
NDSU Has Gained in Transfer Portal
While the exodus of G6 players doesn’t look favorable, the Bison have gained three Power Four players since the FBS move.
Former Arizona wide receiver Jeremiah Patterson and former West Virginia wideout Jordan McCants both joined the team in the past month. Most recently, the Bison landed former Notre Dame cornerback Chance Tucker.
That’s not entirely new for the Bison, which even landed Power Four quarterbacks with starting experience during the FCS dynasty. Former Iowa State quarterback Zeb Noland and former Virginia Tech quarterback Quincy Patterson II both started games for the Bison after transferring. However, neither reached the level of success as the five former home-grown starters who landed in the NFL draft over the past decade.
Matthew Davis covers the NFL, WNBA and college sports for Heavy.com. As a contributing writer to the StarTribune, he has also covered Minnesota prep sports since 2016. More about Matthew Davis
Hamilton County has two judicial primaries this Election Day, including one that prompted an endorsement from Afroman, an Ohio-based rapper.
Incumbent Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Chris Wagner will face defense lawyer Bill Gallagher on May 5. There is no Republican challenger, so the winner of the primary will serve as judge.
Wagner was first elected to the bench in 2020, defeating Republican former judge Curt Hartman with 58% of the vote, according to the Hamilton County Board of Elections. He cited jury service reform as one of his achievements on his campaign website and said jurors now serve half the number of days that they used to, and their pay has been increased.
He has been endorsed by the Hamilton County Democratic Party, Commissioner Denise Driehaus and Prosecutor Connie Pillich, among other county and city officials. Wagner was also endorsed by Clyde Bennett, a high-profile defense lawyer who’s represented former judge Tracie Hunter and more recently Rodney Hinton, who is charged with killing a Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy.
Gallagher is a co-founder of the Ohio Innocence Project, which has used new evidence to free or exonerate over 200 people who were imprisoned. He is the founder of Friends to the Indigent, a nonprofit organization that supports lawyers representing clients who otherwise could not afford legal representation.
County officials endorse Wagner, Afroman endorses Gallagher
Afroman, who recently won a defamation lawsuit brought by Adams County deputies, made a video endorsing Gallagher.
Afroman, which is the stage name of Joseph Foreman, sported a star-spangled shirt and sunglasses in the video and said Gallagher is all about people protesting lawfully. A campaign Facebook page for Gallagher said Afroman and Gallagher are friends.
“We don’t need somebody that’s preprogrammed, taking sides and corrupt. He’ll be a just judge, and he’ll help innocent people get out of jail,” he said.
Gallagher said in a video posted on his Facebook page that a lot of judicial candidates made promises about reform after the George Floyd protests in 2020.
“I watched some of those people uphold the promises but a couple didn’t. The one I’m running against is someone who just didn’t uphold all those promises that were made and it’s really time for a change,” he said.
Former public defender faces former judge
There is one other judicial primary this year with Democratic magistrate Sarah Henry running against former judge Glenda Smith.
Henry is a former public defender who is endorsed by the Hamilton County Democratic Party and Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio ACT.
Smith is a former judge who was appointed to the Butler County Area III Court in West Chester by then-Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland in 2008, according to her campaign website. Smith has a history of encounters with law enforcement, including police response to disputes with family members, according to previous Enquirer reporting.
The winner of that primary will face incumbent Republican Court of Common Pleas Judge Chris McDowell in November.
What’s next in the judge races
The primary election is May 5. Early voting started April 7. To check your voter registration or find your polling location, visit VoteOhio.gov.
Common pleas court candidates run in partisan primaries, though the general races are considered nonpartisan and party affiliations do not appear on the general ballot. Common pleas judges in Ohio are elected countywide to six-year terms and are paid $171,982. The judges handle felony cases, ranging from drug possession to robbery to murder, and lawsuits involving more than $15,000.
Courts reporter Kevin Grasha contributed reporting.
Regional politics reporter Erin Glynn can be reached at eglynn@enquirer.com, @ee_glynn on X and @eringlynn on Bluesky.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 29, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 29 drawing
03-19-35-51-67, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from April 29 drawing
06-19-24-30-48, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 05
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Dakota Cash numbers from April 29 drawing
11-14-20-24-30
Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 29 drawing
05-10-17-21-42, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
Nevada4 minutes agoSouthern Nevada shelters brace for annual kitten season surge of newborn cats
-
New Hampshire10 minutes agoNew Hampshire Will Ensure Timely Restitution Payments for Crime Victims – The Rochester Post
-
New Jersey16 minutes agoDid anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers for April 29, 2026
-
New Mexico22 minutes ago2nd inmate dies at MDC within a week
-
North Carolina28 minutes agoFormer Miss Cleveland remembers Carrie Everett, Miss North Carolina who died
-
North Dakota34 minutes agoNorth Dakota State Receives Sobering News After NFL Draft
-
Ohio40 minutes agoHamilton County judicial primary features endorsement by Afroman
-
Oklahoma46 minutes agoOklahoma Senate District 38 candidate Barry Christian reported missing in Beckham County